The mass flowering of bamboo plants poses a major threat to the wild pandas' survival.
Yang said that in the past, pandas adapted to the natural recurrence of bamboo die-offs, which occur about every 60 years. However, in modern times, their migration paths among segmented bamboo forests have been blocked by human activities. Thus, the bamboo flowering has become a major threat to wild pandas.
He said the forestry bureau has carried out a panda rescue drive, which involves sending preservation staff to local panda habitats to provide guidance and supervision. The bureau has also formed a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The two organizations are drafting a plan to restore many of the pandas' migration paths.
Over 80 officials and panda experts from eight countries attended the meeting, which has been held annually since 1989. Participants shared their research on ways to preserve the panda.
The bears eat 20 or so bamboo species. A research center for endangered animals in China's western Shaanxi Province has carried out tests aimed at helping pandas to diversify their taste in bamboo. Researchers collected 90 bamboo species that are known to be edible and fed those types to six captive pandas. The center said that the test results will be useful for panda reserves.
